Thermostatic regulator



Jan. 29, 1929. r 1,700,210

0. E. SUMMERS ET AL THERMOSTATIC REGULATOR Filed Nov. 28, 1924 PatentedJan. 29, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CALEB E, SUMMERS AND FOREST H. HARTZELL, 0F DAYTON, OHIO.

THERMOSTATIC REGULATOR.

Application filed November 28, 1924. Serial No. 752,821.

Our invention relates to thermostatic regulators for explosive enginesand more particularly to an automatically operated valve controlling theadmission of air to the carburetor of a hydrocarbon engine particularlyof the automotive type.

The present device is not to be confused with automatic air valvescommonly known as economizers ordinarily connected with the intakemanifold intermediate the carburetor and inlet port of the enginecylinder. The present automatic valve is located in advance of thecarburetor in the normal air sup ply conduit. It is customary to admitair to i the carburetor thru a supply conduit extending in proximity tothe exhaust conduit of the motor whereby the air supply is initiallywarmed. The present invention pertains to the regulation of this normalor initial sup.- ply of air rather than to the supplying of asupplemental or auxiliary supply additional to such initial and normalair supply as in the case with the typical economizer. In the presentinstance the air intake conduit leading to the carburetor is providedwith a valve of the butterfly type "controlled by a thermostatic bladeexerting push and pull influence upon the valve tending to close suchvalve at low temperature and to progressively open the valve to admit agreater quantity of air as the temperature of the engine increases. Thusduring cold weather or when the engine is initially started at whichtime a richer fuel mixture is required the thermostatic valve istensioned toward closed position thereby restricting the admission ofair and allowing a greater proportion of fuel to be drawn from thecarburetor. After the engine is in operation and its temperatureincreases the thermostatic control device tends to open such air valveto admit increasing quantity of air affording a more lean mixture.

In the present instance the control valve and the thermostatic regulatorare mounted in a supporting frame forming a unit insertable within andremovable from the air supply conduit thereby enabling the regulator tobe easily and readily applied to existing motors.

The object of the invention is to simplify the construction as well asthe'means and mode of operation of thermostatic regulating devices formotors, whereby they will not only be cheapened in construction, butwill be more eflicient in operation uniform in action combinationthereof, and the mode of operation or their equivalents as hereinafterdescribed and set forth in the claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a typical automobilemotor showing the relative location of the air supply conduit and theautomatic regulating valve forming the subject matter hereof mountedtherein. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View of a portion of the airconduit and of the thermostatic regulator located therein. Fig. 3 isarear elevation of the regulator mounted within the air intake conduit.Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the regulator viewed from the sideopposite that shown in Fig. 3.

Like parts are indicated by similar charactors of reference thruout theseveral views. In the drawings 1 is the typical automobile motor ofwhich 2 is the intake manifold,

3 the carburetor to which the intake manifold 2 is connected and 4c theair supply conduit leading to such carburetor. The intake orifice of theair supply conduit 4 is located in proximity to the exhaust manifold 5,so that v.

the air supply is preheated as it enters the air supply conduit 4:. Thisis a typical auto mobile motor construction and per se forms no part ofthe present invention. The present thermostatic regulator is located inthe air supply conduit l, which is more or less closed thereby so longas the engine is cold and is opened to admit air more freely, by theauto matic adjustment of the valve as the engine temperature increases.

The regulator comprises .an oscillatory valve 6 actuated to and fro by athermostatic blade 7. While the oscillatory valve 6 might be pivoteddirectly into the walls of the air conduit 4 and the control member 7suitably mounted upon such wall the valve and ther mostatic blade arepreferably mounted upon a removable frame or support 8. The mounting orsupport 8 comprises a channel shaped frame member having side flanges 9and having in its intermediate web portion a comparatively large opening10 within which is pivoted the oscillatory valve 6. The valve 6comprises a plate of elliptical form which will conform closely to thewalls of the air conduit 4 when in an inclined or diagonal position. Thevalve plate 6 is medially indented in opposite directions to form ahinge connection thru which extends a trunnion pin 11, secured in ears12, at the opposite sides of the mounting.

Secured tothe bottom of the mountin 8 is a thermostatic blade 7, theupper free e ge of which is engaged beneath a keeper 13 upon the valveplate 6. This keeper 13 may be a loop of wire or the like, brazed orotherwise secured to the valve plate, but for economy of constructionvand simplicity of manufacture, such keeper 13 is preferably a loop ofmaterial formed integral with the valve plate by being struck up fromthe plane of the plate between two parallel transverse slits. The end ofthe thermostatic'blade 7 is slightly bent forwardly into a partial hookformation which engages beneath the keeper 13, the thermostatic blade 7in one direction of its deflection bears against the valve plate 6 belowthe hinged connection thereof, thereby turning the valve plate about itspivotal connection into closed position. Upon the reverse deflection ofthe thermostatic blade,

the ressure of the blade against the keeper 13 ten s to turn the valveplate 6 about its horizontal axis of oscillation in the uppositedirection and into the plane of the support or mounting and parallelwith the air conduit, thereby opening the air conduit for the admissionof maximum air supply. The thermostatic blade thus exerts alternate pushand pull influence upon the oscillatory valve plate 6.

To prevent transverse warping and distortion of the thermostatic blade7, the latter is preferably longitudinally slit into a plurality of theflanges of tongues or fingers, which however, operate in unison as "asingle integral thermostatic member; I

The natural tendency of the thermostatic blade 7 when cold is to exertpressure against the valve plate 6 tending to turn the plate to,adiagonal position in which the air conduit 4 is closed. As the enginetemperature increases, and the thermostatic blade 7 is subjected towarping or deflection by such increase of temperature it exerts a pullininfluenceupon the loop or keeper 13, ten ing to turn the valve plate 6progressively into parallel relation with the conduit.

, In order to detachably sup ortthe regulating unit within the air suppy conduit 4, one 9 of the mounting is extended to form a reversely bentfinger or hook 14, which en ages overthe end of the conduit 4 to suspenthe unit. The remaining ends of the side flanges 9 of the mounting areproclosed comprises vided with spring fingers 15, which yieldingly engae the interior walls of the conduit 4 to frictionally retain the unitstherein and prevent rattle or chatter. To the same end the reverselybent finger 14 is provided with a light flexible sprlng extension 17,yieldingly engaging the exterior of the conduit 4. I

The regulating device is readily installed by sliding it longitudinallyinto the open en of the air intake conduit 4, wherein it occupies acentral position with the reversely bent suspension finger 15overhanging the top margin or end of the conduit, wlth the springfingers 15 and 17 yieldingly engaging the walls of such conduit tomaintain the unit in its adjusted position.

The valve 6 is normally diagonally positioned Within the conduit,restricting the admission of air until the engine is in operation andthe engine temperature increases whereupon the deflection of thethermostatic blade will progressively open the valve to its full extent,thereby admitting the maximum air supply.

Due to the fact that the trunnion pin 10 is offset slightly out of theexact medial plane of the conduit, theaxis of oscillation of the valveplate 6 is eccentric or spaced a less distance from the top of the valvethan from the bottom edge thereof, aflfording an unbalanced valve. Whenthe engine is speeded up, a greater amount of air is necessary to afforda proper combustible mixture with the correspondlngly greater amount offuel. If the engine is so speeded or raced when yet cold, the unbalancedfeature enables the valve to open under the increased suction, againstthe tension of' the thermostatic blade, to permit the requiredproportionate quantity of air to reach the carburetor.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thusprovided a device of the character described possessing the particularfeatures of advantage before enumerd we ated as desirable, but whichobviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions,detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from theprinciple involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute the invention has beendescribed in language more or less specific as to structural features,

it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the s ecificdetails shown, but that the means an construction hereindisthe'preferred form of several modes of putting the invention intoeffect and the invention, is therefore, claimed in any of its formsormodifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appendedclaims;

1 Having thus described our invention, we

claim:

mo ern 1. As an article out manufacture, a tlk'3fl110 staticallyoperated regulating device comprising a valve plate medially'hinged foroscillatory movement, a supporting frame in which the valve late ismounted a lree er s loop carried by the valve plate in ofiset relationwith the axis of oscillation, and a thermostatic blade having one endfixedly secured to the supporting frame and the other end looselyengaged beneath said keeper loop and by its deflection exertingalternately push and pull influence upon the valve plate to open thevalve under temperature increase, close the same under decrease oftemperature.

2. As an article of manufacture, a thermostatically operated regulatingdevice, a valve, a thermostatic member actuating the valve, a mountingfor said valve, and thermostatic member comprising a frame removablyinsertible Within a conduit pipe or the like, a hook on said frame forengagement over a wall of the conduit, and a plurality of spring fingerscarried by the frame for yielding engagement With the conduit Walls.

3. In a regulator for explosive engines, a valve plate pivoted in theair supply conduit leading to the carburetor of an explosive engine, thevalve being of greater Weight at one side of its axis ofoscillation thanat the other, a thermostatic spring Within said air supply conduitexerting both push and pull influence upon the valve plate, the valvebeing adapted to yield against the tension of the thermostatic springand-indcpendent of temperature change under influence of the enginesuction.

4. In a regulating device for explosive engines, a regulating valvelocated in the air supply conduit leading to the carburetor of 5.. lin aregulating valve for explosive en ine o a mediall ivoted valve plate loc1.- the air supply conduit leading to carburetor of explosive engine,the axis of oscillation of the valve being so located that the area ofthe valve at one; side of such axis is greater than at the other, and athermostatic control spring actuating the valve under variations oftemperature Within said air supply conduit, said valve plate being:turtlrer subject to the influence of the engine suction acting upon theportion of said valve plate of greater area to actuate the platecontrary to the influence of the thermostatic spring and independent oftemperature changes,

6. ltn a construction of the character described, a supporting frameinsertible Within an air conduit, damper valve pivoted in said frame, alreeper loop carried by the valve, and a thermostatic blade mounted uponthe frame and havingits tree end engaged in said keepor loop to actuatethe damper in alternate directions in accordance with variations oitemperature of air passing through the conduit;

' In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands this 15th day ofNovember, A, D. 19242.

CALEB E. SUMMERS. FOREST H, HARTZELL.

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